Dākuhīrō no taitō
by Darkest Nightmare's Dread
Summary: A remake of When Avatars Clash. There's a couple lemons here and there. Picture done by my good friend, Princess Kawaii Shion.
1. Plans Interrupted

**Chapter 1: Plans Interrupted By The Coming Assassin**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, and let it be known that I thoroughly hated the movie The Last Airbender. I hope this story will be far better. BTW, implied lemon imminent. All below 16 are advised to turn back.**

A tired young Airbender monk looked around his room in the Jasmine Dragon. They were simple and spacious, just the way he liked them. There was one other person, lying in the other bed in the room. He muttered, "Almost there. Just stay still, you furry bag of meat….."

"Sokka. Always thinking about food," our hero sighed. As he lay in his bed, waiting for sleep to overtake him, he couldn't stop thinking about a very special person, a Waterbender who had stolen his heart, and had never given it back. Who is this Airbending monk, you ask? He is none other than Avatar Aang, thinking about his girlfriend, Katara. He had fallen for her when she freed him from the iceberg. However, since he had never been taught how to talk to girls (Too much training), it took him nearly half a year to tell Katara of his love. "I wonder if she loves me . . . . . . ." the young Airbender mused as he fell at last to the overwhelming feeling of sleep.

Meanwhile, in the next room over, Katara, a girl from the South Pole, lay in her bed and muttered, "Does Aang love me?"

"Of course he does, sugar queen," a girl muttered from the next bed over.

"What do you mean, Toph?" Katara asked.

"You know what I mean," the blind Earthbender said. "I may be blind, but I can feel vibrations in the ground given off by people, and let me tell you, Twinkletoes gives off a totally different vibe when you're around."

"You love him, don't you, Katara?" Toph asked.

"You KNEW?" Katara squeaked, cheeks flaring red in embarrassment.

"I know now, Sugar Queen, because you just fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book," Toph replied with a smug smile on her face. "I may be blind, but I could sense you two awfully close together."

"Yeah," Katara admitted. "I do love him. I want to marry him too, but I just don't know if it would work out. I mean, he's the Avatar, and I'm-"

"So what?" Toph interrupted. "Aang doesn't give a damn that you're just a waterbender from the Southern Tribe. I have no doubt that he loves you. Ha, I'd bet my feet he's making proposal plans at this moment."

As a matter of fact, the Earthbending prodigy wasn't far off. "Sokka," Aang whispered.

"Ohhhhhh, Suuuuuuuuukkkkiiiiiii . . . . . . ." was his reply. With a sigh, the Avatar doused the sleeping warrior with a pitcher of ice cold water.

Immediately, Sokka sprang to his feet, forgetting he was in his boxers, and shouted, **"WHO'S DISTURBING MY MAN-SLEEP?!" **

"Calm down, Sokka," Aang sighed.

"Well, whaddaya want, Aang?" Sokka asked. "I gotta get back to my dream."

"Do you know what girls like?" Aang asked, trying not to think about what Sokka might have been dreaming of.

"Of course I do, Aang. I happen to be planning on proposing to one tomorrow. Why?"

(_Okay. I've gotta plan this carefully, or this could blow up in my face like a swamp fart bubble_), the young Avatar thought. "Weeeellllllllll . . . . . . . . .I was kinda planning on proposing to your sister."

"WHAT?! PROPOSE TO KATARA?! WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER?!" Sokka bellowed.

"_SHHHHHHHHHHHH! You'll wake the girls,"_ Aang whispered.

Sokka turned toward his friend and said, "Aang, you'd have to talk to my dad about that. I'm okay with it, but you should ask my dad first."

Aang nodded and said, "I hope he's okay with it." He pulled out a fully carved Betrothal necklace and said, "I'd hate to have this go to waste."

_**The next day**_

The next morning, Aang woke up. He made sure all his clothes were on (They were), and went into the bathroom to take a piss and to see if there was any hair growing on the top of his head. There wasn't, which was good because Aang could finally walk around as the Avatar and not get mobbed by Fire Nation soldiers. Fire Nation girls, however, were a different species, altogether. Katara was also getting ready for the day. She first had to decide between her Water Tribe outfit and her more revealing Fire Nation garb. She chose the Fire Nation clothes, preferring them to her Earth Kingdom clothes. As she walked out of the women's' bedroom, she ran into her father, Hakoda. "Oh. Hi, dad," Katara said.

"Well, Katara. Looks like you're trying to get a certain boy's attention. Now, I wonder who that would be . . . . . . . . ." Her father replied.

Suddenly, Katara blurted out, "I WANT TO MARRY AANG BECAUSE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!"

"Whuh?", Aang said as he exited the men's bedroom.

Katara, mustering all her courage, which wasn't easy, considering the massive blush spreading on her face, Katara repeated herself: "I want to marry you, Aang."

"Katara, I . . . I . . . uuhhh . . . I feel the same way. I mean, I want to marry you," Aang hesitantly replied. He pulled out the Betrothal Necklace he had worked on.

Katara couldn't help but admire the handiwork and said, "Oh, Aang. It's so beautiful."

"Hey, dad!" Sokka yelled. "How's it - - - wait, what's happened, here?"

"Katara wishes to marry Aang, and vice versa, it seems," Hakoda answered, "and I for one approve of it."

"Thank you, sir," Aang replied.

Hakoda chuckled and replied, "Please, just call me Hakoda, or Dad. After all, you're marrying Katara, and that makes you a member of my family."

**-Two months later, in the Earth Kingdom-**

_(Two months,)_ Aang thought as he gazed at the Earth Kingdom forest he and his friends had stopped in, giving Appa, Aang's Flying Sky Bison time to rest. _"Two months, then Katara and I will say our vows._ Oh man, I wish the day was already here," he said, groaning the last part aloud.

"Oh, don't worry, Twinkletoes. You'll marry Katara soon," a familiar voice commented

"Oh! I didn't see you there, Toph," Aang said in surprise.

"I've been here for a few seconds," the young Earthbender replied. "Ugh! You and Sokka are so lucky!"

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Oh, you know. You and Sokka are both getting married, and I don't even have a boyfriend," Toph complained.

"Don't worry, Toph," Aang said. "I'm sure you'll find the boy of your dreams someday."

"I hope so. And if you tell ANYONE about this, you're losing your nuts, and don't think I don't mean it," Toph growled.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry, Toph, your secret's safe with me," the young Airbender replied nervously, knowing Toph wasn't kidding around.

"And me!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

"How long were you listening in, Katara?" Aang asked.

"Oh, long enough to know that Toph's jealous," Katara replied.

"I'm not jealous!" Toph retorted. "I just want a boyfriend of my own. Okay?"

"Don't worry, Toph," Katara reassured. "Your secret's safe with me, and I'm sure you'll find the perfect boy."

"Ugh! Everyone says that I'll find 'Mr. Perfect' someday, but no one offers good advice," Toph said, exasperated.

Nearby, in the shadow of a tree, a mysterious figure watched the three as they conversed. "Soon, Toph Beifong. You will receive what you wish." And with that remark, the figure turned around, and walked into the shadow of the tree, fading from sight.

**-One month later-**

_(Only one month left. I can't wait until then,) _Katara thought with excitement. The young Waterbender looked out the window in the bedroom of her modest igloo in the South Pole, waiting for her soon-to-be husband, Aang, to come home. Within minutes, she saw him flying in on his glider, somehow managing to fly through the window (no glass) and land on the floor without making a single sound. _"I never can figure out how you do that, sweetie,"_ Katara whispered.

Keeping quiet, Aang whispered, _"It's a secret. I used to sneak fruit pies out of the kitchen back at the Air Temple with that technique."_

"Well, while you're here, Aang, what ya we get down to business?" Katara asked.

Knowing what she meant, Aang smirked and said, "I thought you'd never ask."

"Oh, you naughty boy," Katara murmured. The two enjoyed a quick night of lovemaking, and fell asleep, satisfied.

**-The Next Day-**

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Katara giggled as she smiled.

"Good to see you, Katara," Aang replied with a yawn.

"Well, think we should get dressed?"

"Yeah, we should," Katara replied, the two blushing as they noticed that they were still in their birthday suits. They quickly got dressed, and just in time, too.

"AAAAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!" a familiar voice yelled out.

"Keep it down, Sokka," Aang sent back. "The spirits can hear you."

The Water Tribe Warrior ran over, panting heavily. "There . . . . . . was a person . . . . . . . . . . . . who was using . . . . . firebending . . . . . ." Sokka gasped. ". . . . . phew. . . . . . to fly through . . . . . . . the air . . . . . . . The waterbenders tried to use waterbending to turn him around . . . . . . , but he deflected the water and turned . . . . the wave against them, tossing almost . . . . . . . everyone from their boats."

"What?! How can there be another Avatar?" Aang asked. "I'm still alive."

"I know," Sokka replied, his breath returning. "He gave me the creeps as soon as he appeared."

"Why?" Katara asked.

Sokka replied, "His skin was as dark as that night when Zhao killed the Moon Spirit, but that's not what creeped me out. There was something about him that scared me. What creeped me out more was that when I threw Boomerang and Space Sword at him, he deflected Boomerang with his bare hands, and grabbed Space Sword by the blade WITHOUT CUTTING HIMSELF! After he overturned the boats, he demanded to speak with you, Aang, immediately."

"Where is he?" Aang asked.

"He said that he would meet you on Kyoshi Island, where you used the Unagi to help keep the village from burning down. That's where he flew after demanding to see you," Sokka replied.

"Dammit," Aang exclaimed. "Why couldn't he contact me a few months later? Doesn't he know I have a wedding in a month?" With a sigh, he asked Sokka, "Do I have to go alone?"

"No," Sokka replied. "He wants you to bring along Katara, and he said that he needs to see Toph."

"Alright. We leave today," Katara stated. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get back to wedding plans." 1 hour later, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Toph (Team Avatar) flew off on Appa, wondering who this person was, and why he insisted on seeing Toph.

**-Kyoshi Island, 3 days later-**

Team Avatar landed on Kyoshi Island within a few days, having made good time. As they dismounted, Sokka looked around for the mysterious figure that had appeared near the South Pole not too long ago. Remembering what his dad had told him during the war with the Fire Nation, he looked in every shadow that seemed large enough to hide a person who had the same height as the mysterious figure. He looked in the shadows of the nearby trees, but saw no one. He looked under the large rock outcroppings near the beach, but nobody was there. Suddenly, he got the feeling someone was behind him. He turned quickly, and jumped back, emitting a girly squeal in the process as he saw who it was.

"So, this is the mighty Sokka who disabled the Fire Nation Air Fleet? Frankly, I'm unimpressed," the figure chuckled. Everyone ran over to see what Sokka had squealed about, and saw standing in front of him a boy who looked as old as Aang. His black hair was short, but long enough to be seen against his moonless-night-black head. His eyes, lips, and clothes were as black as his skin, and in his black belt, a long, thin scabbard was visible, with the hilt of the sword it contained in plain sight, as well.

"Hey, isn't that my sword?" Sokka asked.

"It is," the mysterious figure replied. "Here. You have more need for it than I." He tossed the weapon to Sokka, who caught the scabbard and put its strap on his left shoulder, allowing him easy access to the blade made out of iridium (though they didn't call it that).

"Who are you, and why did you want to talk to me?" Aang asked. "Do you know what you interrupted?"

"Yes, Avatar. I know. You were planning your wedding with Katara," the figure replied. Looking at Katara for a brief moment, he commented, "A fine choice, Avatar. She won't wander from you, and she'll make sure you stay with her. Now, to answer your question, you can call me Shadonus."

"Okay, uh . . . Shadonus. Why'd you want to see me?" Aang asked nervously.

"Simply put, I asked to see you for two reasons," Shadonus replied, holding up two fingers. Aang noticed that they had some scars on them, but they were old. "One: to warn you of an assassin that will try to slay you while you kiss Katara, sealing your vows. I believe you know him as Combustion Man."

"WHAT?!" Sokka cried. "I killed that guy with Boomerang."

"He survived, and was healed by a dark spirit," Shadonus replied grimly.

"Like you?"

"No, warrior," Shadonus replied. "For starters, if I was a spirit, your Boomerang wouldn't have bounced off of me. Also, I appeared during the day, not during the night, when spirits normally come out. Anyways . . ." He turned to Aang and said, "Reason 2: The spirit that healed Combustion Man, Firelord Sozin, is also planning on killing you on the night of the winter solstice. He'll be strongest then."

"How do you know all of this?" Katara asked.

"I can travel between the Spirit World and Human World without difficulty," Shadonus replied. "In case you're wondering, I'm an Avatar, one with powers to compare to that of Avatar Aang."

Aang looked over at Toph, and she said, "He's speaking the truth. Twinkletoes, I mean Aang, said that you wished to see me. Why?"

"So you could see me," Shadonus replied.

"I'm blind," Toph replied. "Do you mean using earthbending to see you? Cuz I already am."

Shaking his head, Shadonus answered "No, Toph. I can give you what you've always wanted."

"What, a fashion sense?" Toph replied snarkily.

"No. Your eyes," Shadonus said back.

"You can make me see?" Toph exclaimed. "Wait. What's the catch? There's always a catch."

"Only that you remind Aang to remember my words of warning. Oh, and it would be nice if you could go to your parents and show them your talents," Shadonus stated.

"Do I have to do the last part?" Toph asked reluctantly.

"No," Shadonus replied. "I've already told your parents you're okay."

"You did? What did you tell them?" Toph inquired.

"I said that you had progressed in your earthbending, even working on sandbending," the dark youth replied, "And that you weren't homesick, being that you had left your house willingly."

"How do you know all this?" Sokka interrupted.

"I was standing in the shadow of a nearby tree, listening to your conversation at that time, then listening in to Toph's parents' conversation back when you left the Beifong house," Shadonus replied nonchalantly.

"Do they miss me?" Toph asked, a tear in her eye. She'd missed her parents ever since she ran away with Aang and his friends, but never wanted to go home. Shadonus walked toward her. Thinking he was about to attack, Sokka got between Toph and Shadonus, but Shadonus used sandbending to shift the young warrior to the side.

He looked over at Suki, who was getting ready to attack, and he said, "I'm not going to attack Toph." Walking over to the young earthbender, he wiped the tear from her cheek with surprising tenderness. "Now, I believe you wish to see again," Shadonus stated, his voice soft and soothing.

"Okay," Toph replied. "I'll be sure to remind Aang of your warning."

"Very well," Shadonus replied. He began to slowly move his arms through the air, like he was bloodbending.

"Are you bloodbending her?" Katara asked, horrified.

"In a way, yes," the Dark Avatar replied, "but not like it's usually used. I'm redirecting small traces of her blood to certain parts of her eyes. I'm not paralyzing her." He fell silent, mumbling something under his breath that sounded like a chant: "Blood to eyes, give her sight. Give more power in a fight . . . . . . . ." (Author's note: While the chant isn't necessary for Shadonus' action to work, it does help him focus, which is important if he is to heal Toph.) He chanted this over and over for 3 minutes, then stopped. He stepped back and asked, "What do you see, Toph?"

Toph looked around and said, "The sky's awfully cloudy." Everyone except Shadonus stared at her in shock, and soon, Toph, stunned by her own words, looked around wildly, seeing the word for the first time. She was astonished by all the colors, and stunned by how many things there were to see. She turned toward Shadonus and had an immediate crush on him. "You look nice," she said. "Gonna be at the wedding?" she asked, blushing slightly.

"I might, or I might not," Shadonus replied cryptically. "Why?"

"Just wondering," the young earthbender answered.

"See you later," Shadonus called, as he walked into the shadow of a rock, and disappeared from sight.

"That was creepy," Suki commented. "I just hope that guy's on our side. I wouldn't want to face him in battle."

"I think I know why you asked that guy if he was gonna be at the wedding, Toph. You have a crush on him, don't you?" Sokka teased.

"I do not!" Toph yelled as she hit Sokka in the man-zone with earthbending. (_I don't know. He's the first boy I've really liked.) _Toph thought. (_He's much nicer-looking than Twinkletoes, and he feels like a powerful earthbender.)_ After that, Team Avatar returned to the South Pole, explaining that they had met with the person who came to the South Pole, and that he had given Toph her sight. Forgetting about the incident for a while, Aang and his friends, Zuko and Mai included, made plans for the wedding.

Needless to say, Sokka didn't bother Suki for quite a while.

**Well, that's the end of Plans Interrupted. There were some fanfic writing friends of mine who wanted less lemon, so I severely shortened it to being implied in this chapter. Also, I've heard FanFiction is cracking down on lemons, and I'd rather not have the remake of my eldest fanfic get deleted for any reason. **

**Anyways, I'd like to thank Princess Kawaii Shion for her help in rewriting this chapter. Your help was appreciated, old friend.**

**Read and review, Readers. If you do, I just might provide more insight into the mysterious Avatarian person that is Shadonus (pronounced Shadow-nus). Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows writes fastest when he feels loved, inspired, and encouraged, so slap that Fave button with your forehead, and I'll see you dudes and dudettes later. Take care.**

**(Yes, I took that last line from BajanCanadian of Minecraft Hunger Games.)**


	2. Crisis in Potentia

**Me: I am Darkest Nightmare's Dread, the author of this story.**

**Aang: Yeah, a good one so far.**

**Sokka: Yeah, but do I marry Suki in the next chapter, or what?**

**Me: Soon, Sokka. Very soon, you'll have your moment. Now, for the disclaimer. Toph?**

**Toph: Darkest Nightmare's Dread does not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. He also believes the movie absolutely sucked.**

**Me: ON TO THE STORY! SEND IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH!**

**Chapter 2: Crisis in Potentia**

**Note: This chapter jumps right into the wedding of Aang and Katara. The wedding was delayed by rogue Dai Li agents creating a rebellion in the Earth Kingdom. The wedding will take place during the South Pole's spring, fall in the Fire Nation. Suki and Sokka have already been married a week prior, but will be in attendance. No lemons, only language.**

_(Thoughts of characters)_

"SHOUTED SPEECH"

**-At the Wedding-**

Aang sat in an igloo in the South Pole, waiting nervously the signal for him to appear. He had gone through the wedding rehearsal with his wife-to-be, Katara, and had even rehearsed a particular part of their honeymoon, namely removing Katara's wedding dress and fucking her brains out, with protection, of course. Now, with the event he dreamed about ever since he first saw Katara taking place, Aang felt nervous, more nervous than he had been as he had awaited the coming of the Fire Lord on the day that Sozin's Comet appeared. He shivered in anticipation of the signal, and by sheer coincidence, the signal came that moment, in the form of Sokka yelling, "AANG! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT HERE!"

(_Sokka, Master of Subtlety_), Aang thought as he walked out of the igloo, dressed in his Airbender Monk clothes. He saw the crowd that had gathered for the wedding. It wasn't too big, just some people from the Northern village, all the Southern village, and Kyoshi Warriors. Then, he looked to the stage where his bride waited, and he couldn't believe what he saw: Katara in a form-fitting white gown that was thick enough to block the cold but tight enough to not make her appear overdressed.

When Aang walked onto the stage, Gran-Gran, Katara's grandma, asked Katara, "Katara, do you take Aang to be your loving husband, to have and to hold, to love and obey-"

"What about endure?!" a young girl yelled from the crowd.

Gran-Gran gave the girl the infamous UNHAPPY GRANDMA stare, and then continued, "To love and obey, in sickness and in health, through thick and thin, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Katara nervously said. Gran-Gran asked Aang the same question, and Aang replied, "I do."

"I hereby pronounce this couple husband and wife," Gran-Gran said "You may kiss the bride."

As Aang and Katara leaned in to seal their vows, a familiar assassin drew in a deep breath through his nose. He looked around briefly, making sure that he hadn't been spotted, and fired the firebending beam through the tattoo eye on his forehead. Aang and Katara ducked, the beam missing them. The assassin, Combustion Man, inhaled for another blast, but then his robotic arm smacked his head, throwing off the aim. Sokka yelled, "LOOK! ON THE ROOF!" Everyone looked up to see what Sokka was yelling at, and they saw Combustion Man, dressed in his usual clothes, trying to strike a dark-skinned figure.

"Shadonus?!" Toph yelled, recognizing the figure.

"I foresaw your interference, Combustion Man," Shadonus said, ignoring Toph's question, "and I believe it's time I make sure you don't interfere again." As people watched, Shadonus raised his hands. A wave came up and flowed toward the two combatants, covering Combustion Man. With a subtle hand-motion, Shadonus froze the water, sealing the assassin so that he was rendered unable to continue his job. Everyone stood as if frozen, astonished at the display of power.

Aang jumped on the roof of the igloo, landing next to Shadonus, and asked, "Why did you come?"

"To save you, of course," the Dark Avatar replied, "and to stop Combustion Man. I did not wish for him to interfere in your life with Katara, or that of your friends. I also stopped by to introduce myself." Shadonus jumped down to the ground and bowed, saying, "Greetings. My name is Shadonus, the Dark Avatar."

"So you're the one that tipped our boats," Hakoda said.

"Apologies," the Dark Avatar said. "I needed to get Aang's attention, and I thought that my actions provided adequate reason for the Avatar to come see me."

"Why did you need to see him, and why do you call yourself the Dark Avatar?" Hakoda asked.

Shadonus replied, "I'm the Dark Avatar because of my ability to use shadows of various solid objects, people included, to teleport. To answer your question, Chief Hakoda, I summoned Aang to Kyoshi Island because I knew no one would bother us there. I warned him of Combustion Man's attack, but it would appear that the assassin somehow snuck past defenses. As for Combustion Man, he's not dead, but merely frozen. But back to Aang. I called him because I knew his friends Sokka, Katara, Suki, and Toph would come along with him. The more people warned, the better. I particularly wanted to see Toph because I had the power to give her her sight. All I required in return was that she warned Aang about Combustion Man. I am not a greedy person, nor one that requires any cash."

Toph walked over and said, "Your outfit seems different." She was right. Shadonus wore no shirt, revealing a dark chest that was slightly lighter than his face, and he was wearing shorts. He had some scars on his chest, some that looked like burns, and others that looked like knife wounds.

"Don't you feel cold?" Sokka asked.

Shadonus shrugged and replied, "No, the cold does not bother me at all. I have no problem with extreme cold or extreme heat."

"I'm glad you saved Aang," Toph said. _(And glad you came,)_ She thought.

"How long will you be staying here?" Hakoda asked. "If you need a place to stay overnight, I can provide it. It's the least I can do for the person who saved my daughter and son-in-law."

"Only for a few minutes more," Shadonus replied. "I wish to speak to Toph. Don't worry, Sokka. She'll return."

As the two walked away, Toph noticed that one moment, she was in the Southern Village, and the next, the village had disappeared, replaced by icebergs, water, and a sky filled with white clouds. "Where are we?" she asked, surprised by the sudden change in scenery.

"Seven miles north of the village," Shadonus replied. "I wished to speak to you alone because this message is for you to give to the others."

"What is it?" the young earthbender asked.

In reply, Shadonus said, "Aang is safe for now, but Sozin will come after him within a few weeks. Instruct him to go to Kyoshi Island again in two days. I will be waiting there, to transport him and Katara to Crescent Island, to Avatar Roku's temple."

"Twinkletoes, I mean Aang, said that the last time he went there, he was attacked by the sages, who served the Fire Lord," Toph replied.

"All the sages that were there last time, other than the one loyal to the Avatar, have been removed, and replaced with sages that won't be so hostile," Shadonus responded. "Aang needs to be there because on the day of the Winter Solstice, Sozin will appear in the early hours of dawn, or at night, and try to slay Aang. Aang will need help from the past Avatars, who will be able to also appear on the Winter Solstice."

"Including you?" Toph asked.

"I will be present," Shadonus replied, "but I won't be there as a past Avatar. I was born 16 years ago, while Aang was born 112 years ago. Because of this, I am not a past Avatar, but one who can work alongside Aang."

Toph wondered how Shadonus had gotten his Avatarian abilities, but decided that later would be a better time to ask. "I'm thinking of going to see my parents, like you asked," she said. "Do you want to come along with me?"

"I believe I will," Shadonus replied, "But after I transport Aang and Katara to Crescent Island."

**-Three days later (one day to relax, two to travel)-**

Aang, Katara, and Toph flew in on Appa, landing on the beach of Kyoshi Island where Aang had wrestled with a Unagi. As expected, Shadonus was standing on the beach, waiting for them. Shadonus waved his hand as if he were saying "Shoo," and the recently married couple vanished, having been teleported to Crescent Island along with Appa, leaving Toph behind. "Now, I believe I said I would take you to your parents," Shadonus said.

"Yes, you did," Toph replied. She grabbed his hand, causing a slight blush to erupt on her cheeks. She looked at Shadonus to see what reaction he gave, and noticed that he gave a slight smile. With Aang and his friends in safety, the two walked from Kyoshi Island to the Beifong estate.

**What do you think, reader? I told you I'd offer more insight into Shadonus. Question is, why did Toph ask Shadonus to come to her parents' house? She simply could've asked to be sent there. Read and review, and I will create Chapter 3 of the story soon. Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows writes fastest when he feels loved and encouraged. Also, for those who were wondering, the story's title means "Rise of the Dark Hero" in Japanese. Question is, who is the Dark Hero, and what happened to give him his powers?**


	3. Meetings and Wars

**Chapter 3:**_** Meetings and Wars**_

**Dynamic battle warning. Get your action music and popcorn ready. Darkest Nightmare's Dread has spoken.**

**-The Beifong Estate-**

_(Inner thoughts)_

"SHOUTED LINES"

"_**Avatar voice"**_

The Beifong estate was unusually quiet, considering it was one of the biggest estates that existed in the Earth Kingdom. The war had done some damage to the mighty estate. Trees had been uprooted, the grass was burned, and the buildings had suffered minor to major damage, which was being repaired. Poppy Beifong sat in her chair in the living room, sewing a small piece of cloth in an attempt to distract herself from the sadness she was feeling. Eventually, she gave up, and started weeping. Lao, her husband, came over to her and embraced her, knowing why she was sad. Poppy was expecting a child, and every time the two thought about the coming child, they remembered Toph, their daughter, who they thought had been kidnapped by Team Avatar. "I know," Lao whispered, giving his wife a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I miss her, too."

"Who are you missing?" a female voice said from the nearby doorway.

Lao looked up in surprise, wondering, _(Is that her? Has Toph come back?)_. To his almost boundless joy, he saw his beloved daughter, Toph Beifong, standing before him in her Blind Bandit suit, with a difference that Poppy noticed immediately.

"Your eyes, they're not clouded. You can see?" she asked.

"I can, thanks to Shadonus," Toph replied. Hearing his name, Shadonus stepped forward into the light shining through the windows, allowing Toph's parents to see him clearly.

Lao stood up, walked over to Shadonus, and asked, "Did you kidnap my daughter?"

"No, Lao Beifong-sama," Shadonus replied respectfully. "Your daughter was not kidnapped at all. Rather, she went with Avatar Aang and his friends willingly."

"Why?" Poppy asked, confused. "Why didn't she want to stay here, where she would be protected from those bandits and thieves roaming the roads? It's a dangerous world, out there."

"I know that, mom," Toph replied, "but you were protecting me too much. You wouldn't allow me to even go outside without a guard, and you did nothing but treat me like an invalid. I felt trapped. I couldn't take it, so I went with Aang and his friends to get away from the overprotectiveness that people surrounded me with."

"I understand," Lao replied, "but how are you able to see?"

"I originally used Earthbending to sense the location of people and various objects, but a long time ago, half a year, I think, Shadonus gave me my sight."

Poppy looked at Shadonus and said, "I've heard rumors about someone like you having the powers of the Avatar. Are these rumors true, and is Avatar Aang still alive?"

"Yes on both counts," Shadonus replied. "I can show you proof of the first." He used waterbending to freeze water in the shape of an ostrich-horse, repaired a crack in the ceiling with earthbending, made a fire in the fireplace with firebending, and used airbending to put out the blaze. Lao and Poppy were astonished by the power exhibited by the youth, and asked him how he came to meet Toph. Shadonus stated that he had invited Aang and his friends, Toph included, to Kyoshi Island. "There, I warned Aang of an assassin that would attempt to slay him at his wedding," the Dark Avatar explained, "and informed him of former Fire Lord Sozin coming back on the Winter Solstice to try and kill him. I asked to see Toph because I wished to give Toph her sight. My price: Remind Aang of the assassin, and to consider visiting you, to show you that she was okay, a price I did not think was unreasonable."

"Thank you so much, mister - what's your name?" Lao asked.

"My name is Shadonus," the Dark Avatar replied.

"How can we thank you for bringing Toph back to us?" Lao asked.

"My only request is that you grant Toph more freedom, and to treat her like a normal person. After all, the very thing that made you hold her back, her blindness, is no more."

Lao nodded and said, "I'll think about it, but surely, you deserve a greater reward than just what you requested. If you wish, we can give you a room. Some of the rooms have been damaged by the Fire Nation, so the room may be wrecked."

"No, thank you," Shadonus replied. "I don't need to eat or drink more than twice a month, and I haven't slept in a bed or sleeping bag for so long."

"I insist that you stay," Lao insisted. "You've done so much for us, bringing Toph back. It's the least we can do."

"sigh. Oh, very well," Shadonus groaned. "I'll take any bedroom that's available. Wrecked or not, it doesn't matter to me."

After being shown to his room, Shadonus thanked the servant that had been assigned to him by Poppy, and dismissed her. He looked around the room, and noted that it was a good room, virtually untouched by the Fire Nation. There were a few cracks in the ceiling, but they were quickly sealed with earthbent pebbles Shadonus kept in a pouch on his belt for such an occasion. It only took him a few minutes to get the room the way he liked it, and he spent some time meditating. An hour later, his servant, a maid, knocked on his door. When Shadonus answered, she explained that Poppy, Lao, and Toph Beifong were going to have dinner with some guests, and that he was invited as an honored guest. Shadonus nodded, and accepted the clothing the maid had brought up for him to change into.

**-The Beifong's Dinner Party-**

At the table in the main dining room, Poppy and Lao were conversing with various Earth Kingdom socialites, ranging from kids younger than Toph to elderly men and women. One, an elderly man slightly younger than King Bumi, commented that he had never seen Toph before. Poppy explained that Toph had been hidden away because of her blindness, and that her blindness had been cured by Shadonus. "Where is this 'Shadonus'?" the elderly man asked. "I would like to meet him."

"I am on my way," Shadonus called. The guests turned in their seats to see Shadonus walking into the room, wearing clothes that Lao had worn when he was younger, and had preserved. The clothes were traditional Earth Kingdom clothes, and were made from high-quality silk. Upon entering the room, Shadonus bowed, and said respectfully, "Hello, friends of the Beifongs. I am Shadonus, the boy who gave Toph her sight." The socialites turned to look at this strange youth who had given Toph her sight, and noticed that while he was similar to Aang in body shape, he had more of an aura of mystery around him, and lacked the Airbender tattoo that Aang sported. Some of the women blushed slightly, seeing that he was quite handsome, and possibly single.

Shadonus moved to a seat close to the end of the table opposite the Beifongs, but Lao said, "Oh no, my friend. Please, move to a better seat." Shadonus accepted the invitation, and was led to a seat right next to Toph Beifong, a move that made Toph blush at the thought of having the boy she had a secret crush on sit next to her.

_(We are friends, and we've known each other for a while . . . . . Maybe, I should . . . . . . tell him . . . . . . . . . that I love him)_, the young earthbender thought.

A few of the single female guests started to have a crush on Shadonus. "So," one such rich, young woman asked, "how did you get your powers and good looks, Shadonus?"

"I cannot tell you," Shadonus replied nervously. "It is best that you not know."

"Why? You're going to need to give me a better answer than that. Don't worry. I won't bite," the woman said, trying to use her charm to get some information out of him.

"I can only tell you that it happened to me when I was young," Shadonus replied curtly. After that, the socialites were silent, practicing their manners as they ate. Shadonus, inexperienced with such manners, made some occasional errors, and had to be corrected by Toph, who showed him how to hold his chopsticks, to wipe his mouth, and all sorts of manners.

At one point, after being shown how to hold his chopsticks, again, Shadonus turned to Toph with an embarrassed look on his face, and said, "I'm sorry if my manners are poor. I haven't eaten in a house like this, before."

"It's okay," Toph replied, "I'll be more than happy to teach you if you'll stick around for a while longer."

"I'll think about it, Ms. Toph Beifong," Shadonus replied in an attempt to be polite, causing the young earthbender to giggle softly, a sound echoed by the other girls who had a crush on Shadonus. The rest of the dinner, all six courses, went by without incident.

_(I wonder how Twinkletoes and Katara are doing . . . . . . .)_ Toph wondered briefly.

**-Crescent Island-**

Meanwhile, in Roku's Temple, Aang was meditating in the bedroom he shared with Katara, trying to get into the Spirit World. After a few minutes of silent meditation, Aang opened his eyes and found himself in a foggy, thick forest: The Spirit World. ""Roku?" Aang called. "Where are you?"

"I am right here, Aang," the elderly past Avatar said as he appeared before the young Airbender. "Why have you come here, Aang?" Roku asked. "The solstice is not for a few weeks."

"I know, Roku," Aang replied, "but there's something I need to ask you."

"And what is that, Aang?"

"Who is Shadonus, and how did he gain the ability of the Avatar to bend all four elements?" Aang asked.

"That is for Shadonus to reveal," Roku replied. "but do not make him linger on the subject for too long. It pains him deeply to think about it."

"Why?" the young monk asked. "Why does it pain him?"

"He will tell you why it pains him when he describes how he gained his abilities," the former Avatar replied. "It is not my place to explain his past. Only he can. Now return to your body, Aang. Your wife awaits you."

Aang travelled from the Sprit World back to his body, to find that there was a surprise already waiting for him. It was night, and next to him, Katara lay under the blankets, wearing a soft blue nightgown that seemed to sparkle like a slim sapphire in the moonlight. After changing into some nightclothes of his own, Aang got into bed next to her, and fell asleep.

**-Beifong Estate-**

Meanwhile, at the Beifong Estate, the guests had left for their homes, leaving the servants to clean up the mess. When Shadonus moved to lend a hand, Poppy asked him to stop, saying that he was a special guest, and didn't need to help the servants. Shadonus replied, "But you're allowing me to stay here. The least I can do is help out." However, the servants themselves asked Shadonus to not help them, telling him that he was helping enough and shouldn't exhaust himself. Shadonus relented, and retreated to his room to meditate.

Within minutes, the Dark Avatar had entered the Spirit World. He immediately went to the nest of Koh, the Face Stealer (The Mugger of Mugs, The Expression Taker, etc.), having business with the spirit to take care of. Avatar Roku appeared beside him, and asked, "Why are you going in the direction of Koh's tree?"

_(I need to know what side he'll be on during the battle against Sozin,) _Shadonus replied in Roku's mind.

"Be careful, Shadonus. Koh is in more of a foul mood than usual," the older Avatar cautioned. "I advise against contacting him, especially since you took Kuruk's wife, Ummi, out of him."

"I know, Avatar Roku, but I promised him Combustion Man when he dies," Shadonus replied.

"Good luck," Roku called as Shadonus stepped into the cave in the tree where Koh resided. As he walked into the cave, Shadonus sensed a hostile presence, one that wasn't Koh's, but someone whose face had just been stolen. The figure, Fire Nation Guy (that's the only name given for the guy in the cartoon), stumbled out, muttering mentally about some "stinkin' spirit thing. As if my afterlife doesn't suck enough . . . . . ." Within a few minutes, Shadonus found Koh, staring into the tunnel.

"My old friend, the Dark Avatar. It's been a long time," the superancient spirit said.

Shadonus nodded and agreed, "It certainly has been a while. I came by to say hello and see how you were doing."

Koh's face changed to that of the blue gargoyle-like face he had shown in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and said, "Not many interesting faces come by here, anymore. But now, to business. I know that you didn't come here just to say hello."

"You're right," the Dark Avatar admitted. "I came to see what side you were taking in the conflict between Sozin and Aang."

Immediately, Koh replied, "I'm staying out of the conflict. Even though I will admit that I wish to take part, if I was to enter battle, my powers would likely disable both forces, which would not benefit my chosen side, the side of the Avatars. Do you know the names of the Avatars taking part in the battle?"

"Yes," Shadonus replied flatly. "I know who they are. Only Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yangchen, and Kozun (the unnamed Fire Avatar before Yangchen) are taking part. The others are either unreachable, or simply uninterested in combat, though Avatar Wan seemed somewhat interested, if not undecided."

Koh nodded and said, "While I am unable to participate, know this, Dark Avatar: I will be cheering for you from here."

"Thank you, Koh," Shadonus replied. "I brought you a present." Shadonus reached into his bag, and pulled out Combustion Man, who had been turned into a small, stone figurine. Koh smiled and took Combustion Man's face, destroying the toy and setting the assassin free, but weakening him.

"Thank you, Shadonus," Koh said through Combustion Man's face. "This face will be an interesting addition to my collection. You may leave now." Bowing, Shadonus said goodbye, and returned to the human world.

"About time you got back," a voice said, sitting right next to him. Shadonus turned to see who it was. He was slightly surprised that it was Toph, and wondered why she had a blush on her face.

Puzzled by this, Shadonus asked, "Why are you blushing, Toph? You're not the blushing type."

"You're right," Toph replied, "but I've got something to say to you that I've never said to anyone else before." 

Shadonus looked at Toph and asked, "What is it?"

Blushing deeply, Toph said, "Oh, spirits. This is awkward. I need you to close your eyes, to make this less awkward."

Shadonus closed his eyes cautiously, and asked, "What do you want to tell me, Toph?"

He heard a soft sigh, the air from it hitting his cheek, and Toph whispered, "Shadonus, I love you." Before Shadonus could react to the confession, he felt something slightly rough and warm press against his lips. When his eyes opened in surprise, he saw a close-up of Toph's face, and he realized what was happening: Toph was kissing him. He had had feelings for her for a while, and was happy to see that Toph was returning those feelings. Before he could try and enjoy the kiss more, Toph pulled away, catching her breath. Her face ablaze, she turned away and said, "I understand if you don't feel the same for me."

"Toph," Shadonus said softly, gently grabbing her wrist, "many girls have tried to win my heart, but you're the only one who's succeeded. I also love you, but I was afraid to show it for fear that your parents would disapprove."

"Actually, we both approve it," Poppy said from the doorway.

Shadonus looked over in surprise and said, "You - - - You do?"

Lao entered the room, and nodded, saying, "Toph seems so much happier now than she used to be, but Poppy and I have noticed that our daughter seems happiest when you're near. Besides, you gave her sight, so I have no problem if she wants to spend more time with her."

Shadonus nodded and said, "Has Toph told you about what will take place on the Winter Solstice?"

"She told us of the temporary return of Fire Lord Sozin, and that Aang would have to defeat him," Poppy replied.

"Then you'll understand why I'm forbidding Toph participation in the battle," the Dark Avatar replied grimly.

"WHAT?!" Toph yelled, surprised. "Why not? I can help you by using my Seismic Sense to tell where the enemies are."

"That will be of no good, Toph," Shadonus countered quickly, "because spirits don't touch the ground. Also, they may be immune to earthbending."

Toph opened her mouth to object, but then she saw something in Shadonus' eyes that she had never seen before: Fear. She knew that if Shadonus was scared about the battle, she wouldn't last any amount of seconds. "All right," Toph sighed. "I'll stay home."

Relieved, Shadonus managed to smile, and said, "The battle will soon begin. I must go to Crescent Island in the morning to prepare for the Winter Solstice. I will bring Toph to the battle only if there are human operatives present, and the spirits have been sufficiently weakened." Toph went to her room, her parents departing for theirs.

In the morning, Toph woke up early and went to Shadonus' room, hoping to say goodbye to him before he left. She found him coming out of his meditation. As soon as he had returned to his body, Shadonus walked over to Toph and held her hand in his. "Goodbye, Toph. I hope we meet again, soon," Shadonus whispered as he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Toph kissed him back, and said, "I'm just so worried that you may not return."

Shadonus nodded, and said, "That's why I forbade you accompany me, because I don't want your parents to lose you for real." Having said this, the Dark Avatar shadow-phased to Crescent Island, surprising Aang, who was trying to meditate.

"Where did you come from?" the young Avatar asked.

"The Beifong Estate," Shadonus replied indifferently. "I came here to help you defeat Sozin. You don't kill them, per se; you weaken them so I can imprison them in dolls, like I did with Combustion Man after I sliced his head off with a Shadow Blade."

Aang was relieved. He was okay with battling, but he wasn't comfortable with the thought that his powers could be used to kill. "What'll you do after that?" he asked.

Shadonus shrugged and replied, "I might give them to Koh. I've already handed Combustion Man over to him, and he'll be happy to add a former Fire Lord's face to his collection."

Aang shuddered in recollection of the unusual, seemingly erratic movements of Koh. He looked around and asked, "Do you need a room, Shadonus? Cuz I can get you one, if you need."

Shadonus shook his head and said, "I slept last night, and I can go more than two months without sleep, and not suffer any aftereffects. In fact, I only need to sleep once every five months, so no. Don't need a bed." He turned around and said, "I'll stay in the shadows of the Temple. The sages already know of my existence, so they won't attack me." Shadonus vanished into the shadow of the curtains in the room, where he stayed until the night the day of the Winter Solstice began.

**-Battle-**

At midnight, a shadowy, evil, and slightly senile spirit crossed over to the human world. "Hehehehehehehe, thank spirits for those worshippers of mine," the spirit whispered, "who saw it fit to summon me, Fire Lord Sozin." The former Fire Lord floated through the halls of the temple. He spat on the ground in derision, muttering, "Those fools built this temple for Roku, but all I got was a cult devoted to me. Completely not fair. Oh, well, I suppose the cult was of some use to me." Soon, the evil spirit found his target: Aang's room. He phased through the door to find Aang meditating and Katara asleep beside him. Pulling a knife of firebending out of his pocket, the Fire Lord prepared to strike the Avatar.

"Shadonus, NOW!" Aang yelled. Suddenly, a massive wave of pure shadow wrapped itself around the spirit, extinguishing the blade, and distracting the Fire Lord.

Shadonus appeared out of thin air and sneered at Sozin. "So, this is the mighty warrior who saw fit to destroy the Airbender Civilization," he said tauntingly. "Even in death, you fail to impress me."

"Who are you?" Sozin demanded, working free of the shadow water. "Answer me, human."

"Stunning that you forgot who I am," Shadonus muttered. "I am more than human, Sozin. I am Shadonus, the slayer of your pawn, Combustion Man, and I will be the one to defeat you."

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" the Fire Lord sneered in traditional fighter banter.

"This army," a voice behind Sozin said. Sozin turned around and saw Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, Avatar Kuruk, Avatar Yangchen, and Avatar Kozun, as well as other warriors, including some of the original Kyoshi Warriors.

"Well, then," Sozin said, "time to summon my forces." Behind him, evil spirits and spirits that opposed the Avatars appeared, including Emperor Chin, who'd run afoul of Avatar Kyoshi.

Shadonus inspected the ghostly army before him and said, "Let's take this outside."

The ghostly forces rushed outside, with Shadonus taking Aang outside, also. As soon as the forces assembled, Sozin's forces, led by Admiral Zhao, charged forward, armed with ghostly blades and firebending at the ready. Immediately, Avatar Roku appeared, creating a massive wall of flames to halt the ghostly soldiers. Kyoshi appeared, using Airbending to charge through the ghosts, with Kuruk, Yangchen and Kozun behind her. The Avatars started to decimate the ranks, but then, reinforcements began to arrive. Shadonus found himself surrounded by ancient Firebenders from before Sozin's time. As one, they fired strong red fireballs at Shadonus, but he dodged the attacks, and countered with lightning, causing the spirits to dissipate. An ancient spearman, accompanied by a swordsman, charged forward, but Shadonus broke the spear, used it to strike the spirits to the ground, and dissipated them with a strong blast of Firebending. Sozin himself barged through the Avatars' army, getting close enough to attack Aang with close-range firebending. Before he could launch the attack, however, a massive electrical blast shot through the air, striking down a portion of the enemy army in the shockwave. Sozin, somewhat wounded by the blast, looked to see who it was, and was shocked to see who it was: Azula. "I don't care if you're my great-grandfather, Sozin," the former Fire Nation Princess said. The only one who will end the Avatar's existence will be me."

Shadonus flew over to her and said, "Remember, I only brought you here so you could reduce your sentence. Make one move to harm the Avatar, you're dead. Fire Lord Zuko's orders." Azula rolled her eyes and jumped into the battle, burning ghosts with her fire, which was blue instead of the usual red. The battle became a battle between Sozin's forces and the Avatars, Katara and Azula included. The other operatives on the Avatars' side had been sent back, too weak to maintain a presence in the human world. Shadonus, realizing how perilous the situation was, began unleashing waves of fire and air, which began to force back the members of Sozin's army. Azula looked around, and saw Aang unprotected in the confusion of the battle.

_(Time for a little backstabbing)_, the former Fire Princess thought. Because her firebending had been hampered by Shadonus when he freed her, Azula pulled out a knife that had been concealed in her dress. Dodging blows and attacks thrown by the combatants, Azula slowly made her way toward Aang. When she was almost behind him, she pulled out the knife, enchanted with all kinds of dark runes, and thrust forward, attempting to strike the Avatar in the back, but something happened. Suddenly, someone appeared in front of her and took the knife, instead. It was Shadonus. The Dark avatar stared down in disbelief at the cursed blade that was now lodged in his chest, and stared at Azula with a look that literally froze her. Taking advantage of this, Shadonus create a Shadow Blade similar to the ones he'd used to defend himself against swordsmen, and with it, beheaded Azula, trapping her spirit in a rock doll. Aang, feeling the attack, turned and saw Shadonus enter the Avatar State.

"_**Aang,"**_ the Dark Avatar yelled in the multi-tone of the Avatar State, _**"you must unlock your true potential."**_

"How?" the young Avatar asked.

Shadonus replied, _**"Find the inner power that still sleeps, the true power of the Avatar: The ability to create light. I can create light, but I create shadow, also. You must find the same power within yourself, and unleash it. These evil spirits won't be able to - -ACK!",**_ his statement ending as more enchanted knives buried themselves in his body, arms, and legs. Aang, startled, went Avatar State, but this time, he found a hidden store of power he had never seen before. It awoke, and begged to be unleashed. Aang obligingly unleashed it, and became a beacon of pure light. All the spirits, except for the Avatars, looked at Aang in astonishment, then realized that their hold on the human world was growing weaker, and tried to flee. However, Shadonus flew through their ranks, beheading the spirits and trapping them in rock dolls, which he shadow-warped to Koh's tree. Despite his numerous wounds, he traveled through the enemy army with frightening speed. Even Sozin fell victim to the wounded Dark Avatar's strikes. Only Sozin's human allies remained, and Toph, summoned by Shadonus, soon trapped them in columns of earthbending. When the forces surrendered, Shadonus spared them from death, dissipating his Shadow Blade. After the prisoners had been taken away, the former Avatars crossed back to the Spirit World. Immediately after they left, Shadonus collapsed to his hands and knees, breathing heavily and bleeding from the numerous wounds he had incurred. Toph ran over, and tried to remove the knives from her boyfriend's side. However, Shadonus used earthbending to move Toph back. With a grunt of pain, he looked at her and said, "If . . . . . you tried . . . . to remove the knives . . . . . . . from my side. . . . . . the hexes would burn . . . . . your hands. . . . . . . ." Shadonus used his power over the shadows to pull the knives out of his body, and collapsed to the ground, his limbs too weak to support him.

Toph ran over and cradled the Dark Avatar's head in her lap as tears started forming in her eyes. "Shadonus, do you love me?" the young earthbender asked, tearfully.

"Yes," Shadonus whispered, "I love you more than my own life, which is why I took so many knives that could've struck you . . . . . . " With that, the Dark Avatar slipped into a coma.

Fearing he would never emerge from it, Toph started weeping loudly, mourning for her loved one. Katara walked over, and examined Shadonus' wounds.

After a few minutes, the master waterbender shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, Toph, but these wounds may be beyond my ability to heal." This made Toph cry harder, the tears literally flowing in rivers down her face.

Aang walked over and said, "He was a mighty warrior, braver than the rest of us put together."

As Toph, Katara, and Aang wept over the warrior's body, they heard a voice they thought they would never hear again: "Why . . . .do you speak of me . . . as if I have departed. . . . . ." Toph looked up in surprise, then looked down at Shadonus' face and was overjoyed to see her beloved's eyes opening slightly.

"SHADONUS!" Toph yelled happily as she pulled him in for a hug.

"OWWW!" Shadonus yelled in pain, just as loud.

"Oh, sorry!" Toph said as she released her grip.

"It's . . . OW . . . . okay, Toph. . . . . . . I can't blame you," Shadonus groaned. ". . . After all, I seemed to appear dead, didn't I?"

Still wiping the tears from her eyes, Katara nodded and said, "You did appear dead, Shadonus. How did you return?"

"I don't know," Shadonus replied, "but I'm back, and that's all that matters." He looked over at Katara, and said, "Now, my wounds have lost their hexes. . . . You can . . . heal them now, Katara. . . . . . . . . . ." After Katara did so, Shadonus closed his eyes, whispering, "I'm gonna fall asleep for a while, now. . . . .just as soon as I shadow-warp myself and Toph to the Beifong Estate. . . . . . ." With the last of his power, Shadonus shadow-warped himself and Toph to the Beifong Estate, falling into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow . . . . . . . .

**What do you think, reader? Good story? Did I do good? Don't worry. Shadonus won't die, yet. His tale is not complete. There is much work to be done. I have a question: Do you, the reader, wish to know of Shadonus' origins? Read and review. Remember, the Undocumented Muse of the Shadows works fastest when he feels loved and encouraged. Despair not, dear reader. I am working on Mysteries Revealed while you read this tag at the end of Meetings and Wars. Until the next possible sighting, this is Darkest Nightmare's Dread, slowly fading into the shadows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**


End file.
